Slowly Fading-- Haymitch One-Shot
by sydreyn1
Summary: A lot of Hayffie and hints of Everlark. Haymitch is dying due to his heavy drinking. This is very sad; I apologize if you cry. Review are welcome.


_Basically a really depressing one-shot of Hayffie. What is going on in this fanfiction is explained. I'm sorry if you cry…_

Haymitch took in a deep breath, which was difficult for him in such a state. Finally, his drinking had caught up to him, and in the worst time, too. His daughter Cosette was turning six that day, and Effie was finally fully recovered from her Capitol incident. She had once told him what had happened to her. Effie was whipped and tortured; she was one of the only survivors.

"Mr. Abernathy, you have visitors," the nurse chirped. He forced a small grin on his face, knowing either Katniss and Peeta or Cosette and Effie were visiting him. It turned out that it was the Mellarks, minus their two children.

"Hey, Haymitch," Peeta greeted him. Katniss, still with the charm of a slug, stayed mum.

"Hey sweetheart, Peeta," he greeted them both. Katniss smiled without much enthusiasm. "I guess the nurse told you, huh?" Haymitch was pretty much doomed. His liver was failing, and there was nothing to do about it. The statistics for his survival were pretty bleak. Katniss nodded, a solemn look on her face. Peeta's smile disappeared, and the couple looked at Haymitch. He wanted to get their minds off of his imminent death.

"Hey, look…" He plastered a small smile on his face. "You guys will do fine without me. Just…take care of Effie and Cosette, will ya? Make sure Effie takes her meds and she doesn't kill the geese. They're…you guys are everything left that I have." Katniss nodded slowly.

"Of course, Haymitch," Peeta reassured him. The room filled with poisonous silence. Peeta and Katniss exchanged ominous looks of despair as Haymitch painfully sat up.

"So…I guess this is…goodbye?" Haymitch could see something in the two victors break. Katniss, who he barely ever saw break down, start to tear up. Peeta shook hands with him, a long and meaningful one. Their two hands symbolized those years of hate they experienced together.

"If it weren't for you…I wouldn't be here today," Peeta confessed. "You sent that cream for my leg and for Katniss's cut. We…we'd be dead. We'd still be ruled under President Snow. Thanks, Haymitch." Haymitch nodded, trying to show no emotion. He was the tough guy. No crying was allowed. Peeta kindly released his hand and exhaled. Peeta grabbed his wife's and then squeezed it, signaling that it was her turn. What the two men didn't expect was Katniss to burst into tears. She pulled him into a tight hug and whispered '_thank you_' into his ear over and over again. He patted her on the back.

"Sweetheart, it's okay," was all he said back. Katniss finally let go and they waved good-bye, leaving Haymitch alone. He sighed, glad he didn't cry in front of them. He was almost 55; he wasn't supposed to cry.

About two hours later, the nurse told Haymitch that his wife and child had come. As Effie came through the door, she couldn't help but practically burst into tears. She tried to restrain due to her daughter's presence.

"Cosette is waiting outside with Katniss and Peeta. I asked to talk to you first." Effie was direct these days; he didn't know what to expect from her. She placed herself on the hospital bed next to him. "So…what am I going to do?" She laughed, defeat in her voice. "Just raise Cosette all alone?" Haymitch looked at her right in the eye.

"No, you have Katniss and Peeta."

"But I don't have you." Those five words struck him in the heart. She began to cry, and burrowed herself in his chest.

"Effie, please, don't break again." Her puffy red eyes pleaded into his to get better, but they both know he wouldn't. "Princess, stay sane with Cosette. Please?" Effie nodded and kissed his cheek. She ran to get Cosette for him, wiping the tears off of her cheeks.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Cosette sprang on the hospital bed, jumping up and down. As Haymitch grimaced, Effie snatched her daughter.

"Let's be careful with Daddy, alright Cupcake? He's…" She searched for the appropriate word. _Doomed. Going to die. Not going to make it. _"Sick." They made eye contact and Effie looked away the moment they did. Cosette got the point across and toned down her liveliness.

"Daddy, guess how old I am? Guess?" Haymitch smiled, her curly, dirty blonde hair bouncing all over the place. He never expected to get such a miracle at such an old age. When Effie returned from her Capitol situation, she was damaged. Haymitch helped her, and they ended up having an affair. This only turned into conceiving a child.

"Are you six?" Cosette squealed once she heard his answer.

"I am!" She showed six fingers and Haymitch grinned. "Mom even bought me those _really_ good donuts. Remember, the ones that you eat all the time, even though Mommy says not to?" She suddenly slammed her hands over her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to say that." Effie and Haymitch laughed. She was completely unaware that her father was going to die in under a week; she was busy ranting about Haymitch stealing donuts.

"It's okay." They sat in silence as Cosette fiddled with her hair. When Haymitch first saw the _real_ Effie, the hurt and broken one, she had no wig on. She called herself ugly, but he found her beautiful. She had long, curly locks of blonde hair and short, cute eyelashes. Her skin was a slight tan and he couldn't stop looking at her. To this day, she wore the tiniest amounts of makeup, and he liked it that way. But he knew that these were the last days he was going to be able to experience that beauty.

"Daddy, when are you coming home?" Effie suddenly cut back her breath. How was Haymitch going to answer? Was he just going to…lie?

"Cupcake…I don't think I'm going to be coming back home." Cosette's eyes filled with sorrow.

"But why?" She clung to the steel side-bars of the bed. Haymitch thought carefully.

"I'm going to be gone for a while. It might seem like forever. But don't worry; you'll see me when you get older."

"Can we feed the geese when you come back?" He nodded. "Can we steal donuts together like we always do?" He nodded, glancing at Effie. "Okay. Well that's good for me!" She gave him a hug, and as her body pressed against his, he knew that it was the last hug he was going to be receiving from his little girl. "_I love you, Daddy. I'll see you soon!"_ she whispered so softly in his hear that Effie couldn't even hear her.

And he whispered back to her,

"_I love you too, Cosette. Stay tough. I'll see you soon." _


End file.
